Rules Unruled

25 July 2016

The Hungarian F.1 GP offered different topics worth discussing. In my opinion, attention should be focused on how some FIA rules were interpreted and implemented by the Stewards during the race in Budapest.

“In primis” the controversial application of the double yellow flags warning shown during the very last lap of Q3. Corner marshals were waiving frantically their yellows when Rosberg approached that part of the circuit on his last run and everyone was surprised to see that his lap record remained intact, eventually enabling the German driver to score pole. How could that be possible if everyone else lifted the foot off the pedal, eventually aborting their quickest run?
Well, firstly we must say that Nico’s on board camera shows that Alonso was no longer stuck in the middle of the track when he drove his Mercedes through that point. Caution was still on, though, and had to be respected. Rosberg’s telemetry proved that he slowed his car down, down enough for it to be accepted by the Stewards. In Hamilton and Vettel’s opinions, on the contrary, the driver’s reaction should be less deceiving in such a case. ”If coasting is as effective as lifting off to get by the rule, next time I’ll do the same” said the Championship leader, demanding a further clarification of the case before the next GP.

Earlier on, Charlie & Co had been equally busy in supplying a newer version of the 107% rule which would have seen several cars wiped off Q1 due to the returning raining conditions in between runs. Some of the faulty cars were on the contrary admitted to the following phase due to “exceptional circumstances” as clarified by the judges. In my opinion a rule is a rule and it should be applied as it is written. The exception could have been made, perhaps, if ALL cars were out of the 107% mark and not just a few.

Finally the rulers did face an insistent protest by Raikkonen and Ferrari pointing at a less than orthodox move by Verstappen defending his position over Kimi’s.
Well, let’s give a round of applause to the decision maker in this case who made sure consistency prevailed!!!!!!